Candid and insightful analysis is hard to come by in the NBA these days. Between ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins dropping Ja Morant missives and the national all but ignoring Jaren Jackson Jr., it is hard to get a full picture of the Memphis Grizzlies outside of a dedicated few. However, Fred Wells, Grizzlies rookie Jaylen’s father, took to social media to explain the parent perspective is on this team’s true potential. The proud pop demonstrated his point by holding Stephen Curry and Draymond Green’s success up as an example.
Wells appreciates how the Golden State Warriors have grown over the years as Stephen Curry and Draymond Green’s Hall of Fame careers played out. More importantly, he pointed out how the Warriors have found a groove with Jimmy Butler, showing that seamless integration is possible with the right communication.
“Butler, Draymond and Curry will talk and if they are on the same page they will build and encourage the other players,” the elder Wells noted. “They will learn to trust each other. They have an experienced player/coach who knows adversity. The (three) know adversity. They will help the others to become poised and ready. Lakers are the same. OKC allows (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) to be the glue, there is little animosity. They are young and hungry!”
It’s an apt comparison considering how the Grizzlies and Warriors have clashed over the years and how the Western Conference is currently shaping up.
Daddy Wells dialed it up a notch when diagnosing the Grizzlies.
“(Jaren Jackson Jr., Ja Morant, and Desmond Bane), in order for (the Grizzlies) to have success, must bond and talk and get on the same page,” Wells stressed. “They must lead the young players, build their confidence, find their gifts, and use the gifts during the game. If they are focused on themselves and their own personal goals and problems and not the team and the young players, we will lose! It (is) paramount these guys put their personal problems aside and take ownership in building the team.”
There was no “insulation” of any animosity at any point during the thread on X. Instead, Fred Wells was merely issuing a call to action rooted in a deep understanding of what makes winning teams tick. As the Grizzlies continue to navigate the 2024-2025 season, his words serve as both a challenge and a blueprint. If Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane can channel the leadership qualities of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, Memphis might just find itself building the kind of dynasty Wells envisions.
